


Guardian

by CuriosityRedux



Series: Dragon Drabbles Berk [14]
Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2018-11-26
Packaged: 2019-08-29 22:13:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16752424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CuriosityRedux/pseuds/CuriosityRedux
Summary: Astrid's helpless during an attack on Berk.





	Guardian

**Guardian**

**-**

Astrid didn’t spend a lot of time hiding. Astrid spent a lot of time swinging axes and cutting her knuckles on the teeth of people stupid enough to underestimate her right hook. She spent a lot of time with her toes bearing down on somebody’s windpipe, or enjoying the occasional pleasure of ramming her kneecap into the apex of a man’s thighs. Hiding wasn’t a thing she participated. in. Like a dragon suddenly sitting up at the dinner table, snapping its napkin in place, and asking for a raw fish, please. 

Then she became a mother.

Astrid ignored the sharp pains of her body’s protests as she gasped and shuffled the short distance to her newborn’s cradle. The blaring horn that indicated an enemy attack made the air seem to shake, and the tiny infant began to fuss as Astrid winced and lifted the girl into her arms. Her entire being was flooded with panic— where was her husband? Her son? She shouted for Hiccup as she moved haltingly across the room.

He was nowhere in sight, and wherever he had gone, he must have taken Bronwyk with him. Holding her still unnamed daughter tightly, she tried to hold back a whimper as she eased down the stairs one step at a time. Every step felt like a knife stabbing through her still-healing center. Despite the fires flowing in the hearth, the night chill bit beneath her nightgown. Outside the chief’s home, screams were starting to rise, along with the sound of small explosions and clashing weapons. 

They’d known this was coming. Tensions had been rising for weeks. The birth of the newest little Haddock had been anything but well timed. But she’d expected someone to at least be with her when the enemy ships came. The ache for her son was the closest thing she’d felt to terror in a long time.

Her grip was white-knuckled on the bannister as she stiffly made her way to the first floor. She bit her lip to hold back the noise of pain that threatened to spill out. It would be idiotic to try and go outside while chaos raged and she could barely move, so with a frantic fear that made her heart throb, she murmured words of reassurance to the baby and moved for the safe space Hiccup had so brilliantly built into their house. 

It was just a little crawl space, large enough for two adults. It was built into the space beneath the stairs and hidden by a heavy oak trunk. Astrid attempted to knee it aside, but she quickly realized it would not give. With a sharp and nervous exhale, she tried again, but the effort made her feel like her body was being torn in half. 

She knelt, blinking back tears as she readjusted the newborn and pushed at the trunk with her shoulder. It scraped a few inches, but not nearly enough. There was a sudden blast outside that was close enough to shatter one of the front windows, sending glass skittering across the floorboards. Astrid jumped, and then quickly returned to her task. 

The alarm was so loud, and her daughter was screeching— she almost didn’t hear the door slam open. At the sound of boots on the floor, though, she spun around and fell against the trunk. Against her will, she cried out in pain at the jostling and cradled baby tight.

The thug who’d broken in stopped in the middle of the room and gave her a slow, smug grin. His yellow teeth flashed in the firelight, and dirty hands relaxed on the mace in his grip. “Well. Looks like the chief’s got somethin’ ta hide after all.”

Astrid took a deep breath, trying to recall years of training and one handed maneuvers. There were knives in the kitchen, if she could reach them, but in her fragile condition, she doubted she could make it fast enough. She shrank against the trunk. 

“If you want to live, you’ll leave,” she bluffed. “Hiccup’s sending someone to protect the house. Get out now and I won’t have them kill you.” It was probably truer than she knew, but it was also possible that her husband was too busy getting Icky to safety. She could only cover the newborn in her arms with a protective hand and pray that the savage left.

It didn’t seem to be his plan— the leering man stepped closer. “I can’t decide— would yeh be more fun as a bargaining chip or a prisoner?”

“I’m warning you,” she hissed, her voice shaking. She was cornered, but she would kill herself to keep him away from her daughter if she had to. “Someone’s coming for me.”

The thug shook his head and gave her a mocking smile. “I don’t think anyone’s coming, dearie.”

Astrid’s heart slammed against her ribcage. The sound of screaming was louder now that the window was broken. And the cold gusting in from the open doorway sent gooseflesh racing across her skin. She swallowed hard and gathered her strength to make a run for the kitchen. 

Just as the barbarian lifted a hand to reach for her, though, a furious snarl shook the house. A faint blue glow silhouetted his body for just a brief second, throwing his startled expression into shadow, and then a vicious black blur threw him to the ground. Toothless pinned the enemy soldier with one heavy paw and let him know his fate with one screaming roar. 

Astrid had seen the Night Fury do much for his rider over the years. She’d never seen him rip a man’s head from his shoulders. 

Jaws dripping with dark blood, body heaving with angry panting, Toothless whipped to look at the blonde. He’d never been more terrifying to her— or a more welcome sight. 

“He sent you for me, right?” With the dragon near, she could feel the blood returning to her limbs. Astrid tried to rock the wailing infant in her arms.

Toothless gave a sharp sniff and a shake of his head.

“Is Bronwyk safe?” She swallowed. 

This time, a bobbing nod. 

A rush of relief crashed over her so strongly it brought tears to her eyes. She looked to the ceiling and blinked them away before wetting her dry lips. Giving the dragon a watery smile of intense gratitude, she exhaled the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “Don’t leave me, okay?”

Toothless’ pupils narrowed. With a menacing bark, he circled the room before coming to stand guard in front of her and the newborn. His tail lashed back and forth with agitation, his teeth bared in a low growl. The infamous Night Fury would be a frightening sight for anyone who dared to enter the chief’s home.

Astrid let her eyes fall shut and pressed a kiss to her daughter’s crown. For the first time since the warning horn blasted, she felt safe. 


End file.
